SATURDAY of 7th WEEK of EASTER
“Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loves following them-the one who had leant back close to his chest at the supper and had said to him, ’Lord, who is it that will betray you?’”
Seeing him, Peter said to Jesus, ’What about him, Lord?’
The Risen Lord Jesus shows Himself to his disciples and He renews their adhesion, particularly Pater’s. Peter wished to be in harmony with the new vision of Jesus that has him guide his Church. We can very well understand his disarray before the beauty of God’s call and the joy to walk behind Jesus who leads us. Peter would like to enter into the knowledge of Our Heavenly Father’s plans over us.But Jesus, the Son of the Father who walked our ways and who is now Risen, enters into the Father’s vision for each person.The disciple loved by Jesus is at the heart of this passage and it could well be that it refers to the image of the beloved disciple of Jesus.Whatever the meaning might be, the text helps give a continuity to the experience undergone by the apostles. The Risen Lord affirms his Presence next to them who follow Him. Jesus cherishes humanity, this humanity that Mary weaved. He returned to the Father; His being is a glorified one and he gives eternal life through his glorified humanity. He will surprise his disciples ’right to the end! ’
’Jesus said to him, ’if I want him to stay behind until I come, what does it matter to you? You are to follow me.’
Peter has to enter with great respect into this work of God which is such a great mystery.The Holy Spirit continues his work, he who intervened in the Blessed Virgin Mary so that the coming of Jesus in the flesh could come about.When Jesus was born of the Holy Spirit, Mary weaved Jesus in her flesh, thus the mystery of the Incarnation was gradually revealed! The Unity of the Love between the Father and the Son was found to be between the Mother and the Child : it is the unity in
the Holy Spirit.This unity will never cease to be, even in difficult times during Jesus’ Passion : ’I want them to be where I am! ’ Jesus the New Adam and Mary the New Eve were brought together at the Passion and in the compassion with John who became her son.This mystery of the unity of Love must come about in us, it is a secret of love that only the Holy Spirit can reveal to us.
’This disciple is the one who vouches for these things and has written them down, and we know that his testimony is true. There was much else that Jesus did, if it was written down in detail, I do not suppose that the world itself would hold all the books that would be written.’
The continuity of Jesus’ work is much more than a chronological element in space and in time. The beloved disciple bears witness to this to the extent that he is aware that the Lord is with him in every circumstance.This is why he can write that his testimony is true, for with his hand he bears witness to the continual witness of those who live their mission throughout the world, feeling the continual presence of Christ. Each one of us can become the beloved disciple as far as we allow the Holy Spirit to guide us, for it is the Holy Spirit who helps us to discover from within ourselves His Presence : ’And the Paraclete came down from Heaven, the guardian and the One who sanctifies the Church, the ruler of souls, he guides those who fall, he is the light house of those who wander, he is a referee for those who struggle and he crowns those who win ( Saint Cyril of Jerusalem). Jesus has given to us the Words of the Life that never ends. The apostles received them and believed that the Father sent Him. For two thousand years the imposition of hands makes of us living members of Christ whose unity comes from the very Unity of the Blessed Trinity.This unity is lived out in the Church ’May they be one as you Father and myself we are One. ’It is not nature that brings about the mystery of grace, a free gift from God. In going back to the father Jesus leads us with Him in His Love. Peter must enter into this mystery of life that is beyond him and where each person situates himself according to the grace received : ’Eternal life is that they may know you, the one true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus-Christ.’